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Our Genealogy Helper

Introduction ...

We have a couple of goals for our Gazetteer:

  • That it be a tool which helps us with planning our trips.
  • We're trying to shape our Gazetteer as a tool to help us understand the community in which our ancestors lived, the community that was part of their daily lives.
  • On our trips, we try to visit those places where our ancestors left their footprints.

By learning about Leonard (and the surrounding area) during the time that our ancestors lived, we hope to have a better understanding of both their community and its relationship to their lifes. We hope that this tool helps to give us an insight into their world.

As we add data and organize our Gazetteer to help with our family research, we will be adding to this our Genealogical Helper for Leonard. While we don't have information that is specific to any given person or family, we intend to expand our understanding about where and how people lived.

Neighboring Counties ...

When searching for family records, we have frequently made the mistake of not checking the neighboring counties.

For example, we have great-grandparents who lived in the southwest corner of their home county. During their lives, most doctors were in the next county to the west. Almost all of the nearby churches and cemeteries were in the county to the south.

So when searching for records, we had our best success by looking in neighboring counties instead of the county in which they lived:  their home county contained property and probate records; the county to the west contained birth and death records; the county to the south contained their burial records. If we hadn't included the neighboring counties, we would have missed many valuable sources of information.

If you're in a similar situation, we hope that the following information helps.

Leonard is located in Fannin County.

To see how the shape of Texas' counties may have changed over time, we recommend the Atlas of Historical County Boundaries.

The following counties adjoin and form the boundaries of Fannin County: Bryan (OK), Collin, Delta, Grayson, Hunt & Lamar.

Below are the counties that are near Leonard. For each of these counties, we show a sample of those communities that are closest to Leonard:

  • Fannin County     (The home county of Leonard)
    • The following are listed by their distance from Leonard, with the one closest to Leonard listed first.
    • Bailey
      (5 miles [8 km] to the northeast)
    • Trenton
      (6 miles [9.7 km] to the northwest)
    • Randolph
      (7 miles [11.3 km] to the north)
    • Orangeville
      (8 miles [12.9 km] to the northwest)
      • Orangeville is located in Fannin County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Orangeville
    • Edhube
      (10 miles [16.1 km] to the north)
      • Edhube is located in Fannin County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Edhube
    • Gober
      (10 miles [16.1 km] to the northeast)
    • Whitewright
      (12 miles [19.3 km] to the northwest)
    • Ector
      (13 miles [20.9 km] to the north)
    • Hail
      (13 miles [20.9 km] to the northeast)
      • Hail is located in Fannin County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Hail
    • Bonham
      (14 miles [22.5 km] to the north)
    • Dodd City
      (16 miles [25.7 km] to the northeast)
    • Savoy
      (16 miles [25.7 km] to the northwest)
  • Collin County
    • The following are listed by their distance from Leonard, with the one closest to Leonard listed first.
    • Frognot
      (8 miles [12.9 km] to the southwest)
      • Frognot is located in Collin County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Frognot
    • Blue Ridge
      (10 miles [16.1 km] to the southwest)
    • Westminster
      (12 miles [19.3 km] to the west)
    • Sedalia
      (13 miles [20.9 km] to the west)
      • Sedalia is located in Collin County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Sedalia
    • Valdasta
      (14 miles [22.5 km] to the southwest)
      • Valdasta is located in Collin County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Valdasta
    • Altoga
      (16 miles [25.7 km] to the southwest)
      • Altoga is located in Collin County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Altoga
    • Farmersville
      (16 miles [25.7 km] to the southwest)
    • Anna
      (18 miles [29 km] to the west)
      • Anna is located in Collin County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Anna
      • Population from the 2020 Census: 16,945 people
      • Jump to TripAdvisor's Tourism page for Anna <1>
    • Mantua ‑ Historic
      (18 miles [29 km] to the west)
      • Mantua is located in Collin County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Mantua
    • Melissa
      (19 miles [30.6 km] to the west)
    • Van Alstyne
      (19 miles [30.6 km] to the west)
    • Princeton
      (20 miles [32.2 km] to the southwest)
  • Delta County
    • The following are listed by their distance from Leonard, with the one closest to Leonard listed first.
    • Jot-Em-Down
      (22 miles [35.4 km] to the east)
      • Jot-Em-Down is located in Delta County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Jot-Em-Down
      • Jot-Em-Down has also been known as:
      • Mohegan
      • Muddig Prairie
    • Needmore
      (23 miles [37 km] to the east)
      • Needmore is located in Delta County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Needmore
    • Pecan Gap
      (23 miles [37 km] to the east)
    • Ben Franklin
      (28 miles [45.1 km] to the east)
    • Klondike
      (28 miles [45.1 km] to the east)
  • Grayson County
    • The following are listed by their distance from Leonard, with the one closest to Leonard listed first.
    • Pilot Grove
      (11 miles [17.7 km] to the west)
      • Pilot Grove is located in Grayson County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Pilot Grove
    • Kentucky Town
      (14 miles [22.5 km] to the northwest)
      • Kentucky Town is located in Grayson County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Kentucky Town
    • Cannon
      (14 miles [22.5 km] to the west)
      • Cannon is located in Grayson County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Cannon
    • Tom Bean
      (16 miles [25.7 km] to the northwest)
    • Bells
      (18 miles [29 km] to the northwest)
      • Bells is located in Grayson County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Bells
      • Population from the 2020 Census: 1,516 people
      • Jump to TripAdvisor's Tourism page for Bells <1>
    • Whiterock
      (18 miles [29 km] to the northwest)
      • Whiterock is located in Grayson County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Whiterock
    • Ida
      (19 miles [30.6 km] to the northwest)
      • Ida is located in Grayson County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Ida
    • Luella
      (21 miles [33.8 km] to the northwest)
      • Luella is located in Grayson County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Luella
    • Howe
      (22 miles [35.4 km] to the northwest)
      • Howe is located in Grayson County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Howe
      • Population from the 2020 Census: 3,390 people
      • Jump to TripAdvisor's Tourism page for Howe <1>
    • Tribune
      (24 miles [38.6 km] to the northwest)
      • Tribune is located in Grayson County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Tribune
    • Sherman
      (27 miles [43.5 km] to the northwest)
    • Dorchester
      (28 miles [45.1 km] to the northwest)
      • Dorchester is located in Grayson County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Dorchester
      • Population from the 2020 Census: 96 people
  • Hopkins County
    • The following are listed by their distance from Leonard, with the one closest to Leonard listed first.
    • Cumby
      (28 miles [45.1 km] to the southeast)
    • Ridgeway
      (30 miles [48.3 km] to the southeast)
      • Ridgeway is located in Hopkins County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Ridgeway
  • Hunt County
    • The following are listed by their distance from Leonard, with the one closest to Leonard listed first.
    • Celeste
      (6 miles [9.7 km] to the southeast)
    • Kingston
      (9 miles [14.5 km] to the southeast)
      • Kingston is located in Hunt County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Kingston
    • Wolfe City
      (10 miles [16.1 km] to the east)
    • White Rock
      (10 miles [16.1 km] to the southeast)
      • White Rock is located in Hunt County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for White Rock
    • Merit
      (11 miles [17.7 km] to the south)
    • Aberfoyle
      (13 miles [20.9 km] to the east)
      • Aberfoyle is located in Hunt County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Aberfoyle
    • Jacobia
      (15 miles [24.1 km] to the southeast)
      • Jacobia is located in Hunt County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Jacobia
    • South Sulphur
      (15 miles [24.1 km] to the southeast)
      • South Sulphur is located in Hunt County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for South Sulphur
    • Fairlie
      (17 miles [27.4 km] to the east)
      • Fairlie is located in Hunt County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Fairlie
    • Greenville
      (18 miles [29 km] to the southeast)
    • Neylandville
      (18 miles [29 km] to the southeast)
      • Neylandville is located in Hunt County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Neylandville
      • Population from the 2020 Census: 100 people
    • Clinton
      (19 miles [30.6 km] to the south)
      • Clinton is located in Hunt County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Clinton
  • Lamar County
  • Bryan County (OK)
    • The following are listed by their distance from Leonard, with the one closest to Leonard listed first.
    • Kemp
      (27 miles [43.5 km] to the north)
      • Kemp is located in Bryan County (OK)
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Kemp
      • Population from the 2020 Census: 156 people
      • Jump to TripAdvisor's Tourism page for Kemp <1>
    • Hendrix
      (28 miles [45.1 km] to the north)
    • Yarnaby
      (28 miles [45.1 km] to the north)
      • Yarnaby is located in Bryan County (OK)
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Yarnaby
    • Yuba
      (29 miles [46.7 km] to the north)
      • Yuba is located in Bryan County (OK)
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Yuba

For an expanded list of the communities that are closest to Leonard, see our County-by-County Page for Leonard.

Cemeteries Near Leonard ...

Below are cemeteries that are in the vicinity of Leonard.

This is a new section and is likely to have errors. If you find an error, such as a missing cemetery or we have the wrong name, please let us know. If you know of them, we would also appreciate learning about previous or alternate names.

Although we don't have the information ourselves, if you need information about a burial or interment, photos, transcripts, how to contact the cemetery or local authorities, please visit our list of websites on our Genealogy Helper Page for Leonard - one of the links might be able to help.

If not found below, our Cemetery List for Leonard covers a larger area, with the cemeteries listed in alphabetical order.

The following cemeteries are listed based on their distance from Leonard, with the one closest to Leonard listed first.

  • Lee Cemetery
    (2 miles [3.2 km] to the southwest)
  • Fuller Cemetery
    (4 miles [6.4 km] to the southwest)
  • Lane Cemetery
    (5 miles [8 km] to the south)
  • Burns Cemetery
    (5 miles [8 km] to the northwest)
  • Hill Cemetery
    (5 miles [8 km] to the northwest)
  • Bailey Cemetery
    (5 miles [8 km] to the west)
  • Vaughn Cemetery
    (6 miles [9.7 km] to the east)
  • Indian Creek Cemetery
    (6 miles [9.7 km] to the west)
  • Richard Cemetery
    (7 miles [11.3 km] to the southwest)
    • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Richard Cemetery
    • The Richard Cemetery has also been known as:
    • Old Richards Cemetery
  • Du Laney Cemetery
    (7 miles [11.3 km] to the south)
  • Randolph - Lindsey Cemetery
    (7 miles [11.3 km] to the north)
    • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Randolph - Lindsey Cemetery
    • To give a relative sense of its location, the Randolph - Lindsey Cemetery is a large cemetery that is located outside and to the northeast of Randolph.
    • The Randolph - Lindsey Cemetery has also been known as:
    • Lindsey Cemetery
    • Lindsey - Randolph Cemetery
    • Randolph Cemetery
    • Jump to Find-A-Grave: FG ID #6245 <2>
  • Celeste Cemetery
    (7 miles [11.3 km] to the southeast)
  • Continue List   (315 more) ...
    • Nicholson Cemetery
      (7 miles [11.3 km] to the southeast)
    • Hall Cemetery
      (7 miles [11.3 km] to the east)
    • White Rock Cemetery
      (7 miles [11.3 km] to the northeast)
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for White Rock Cemetery
      • The White Rock Cemetery has also been known as:
      • Whiterock Cemetery

Nearby Communities in 1895 ...

We've built the following list with information that came from an Atlas published by Rand McNally in 1895. The Atlas had details such as the population of the community (which appears to have come from the 1890 Census) and whether there was a post office and/or railroad service available. We also indicate if the community no longer exists and is now historic.<3>

The Rand McNally Atlas shows that Leonard had a population of 392 people in 1895 with a post office and railroad service. In 2020, Leonard had a population of 2,068 people.

These communities are listed based on their distance from Leonard, with the one closest to Leonard listed first.

  • Delba
    (4 miles [6.4 km] to the west)
    • Delba is located in Fannin County
    • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Delba
  • Pike
    (5 miles [8 km] to the southwest)
    • Pike is located in Collin County
    • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Pike
  • Lane
    (5 miles [8 km] to the south)
    • Lane is located in Hunt County
    • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Lane
  • Hickory Creek
    (5 miles [8 km] to the east)
    • Hickory Creek is located in Hunt County
    • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Hickory Creek
  • Bailey
    (5 miles [8 km] to the northeast)
  • Celeste
    (6 miles [9.7 km] to the southeast)
  • Trenton
    (6 miles [9.7 km] to the northwest)
  • Nobility
    (6 miles [9.7 km] to the west)
    • Nobility is located in Fannin County
    • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Nobility
  • Randolph
    (7 miles [11.3 km] to the north)
  • Orangeville
    (8 miles [12.9 km] to the northwest)
    • Orangeville is located in Fannin County
    • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Orangeville
  • Kingston
    (9 miles [14.5 km] to the southeast)
    • Kingston is located in Hunt County
    • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Kingston
  • Blue Ridge
    (10 miles [16.1 km] to the southwest)
  • Continue List   (17 more) ...
    • White Rock
      (10 miles [16.1 km] to the southeast)
      • White Rock is located in Hunt County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for White Rock
    • Wolfe City
      (10 miles [16.1 km] to the east)
    • Gober
      (10 miles [16.1 km] to the northeast)

We've also created an expanded list of communities that existed in the 1890's and were located in the area around Leonard. See our List of 1890's Communities around Leonard.

Newspapers Published in the Vicinity of Leonard ...

An ongoing effort between the Library of Congress and the National Endowment for the Humanities (NEH) has resulted in the National Digital Newspaper Program (NDNP).

To share their results, the partnership has created the Chronicling America website. The goal of this partnership is to assemble a database about the current and historic newspapers of the United States. This includes a growing collection of scanned images from selected papers. All of it available to the public on their website.

Using information that we've taken from the Chronicling America website, we've identified 59 newspapers that have been published in the area around Leonard.

We have organized these newspapers into two lists:

  • A Local Newspaper List - focusing on the papers published in the immediate area of Leonard. There are actually two parts to this list - papers printed in the immediate area of Leonard and those printed in the larger area surrounding Leonard.
  • An Extended Newspaper List - a longer list, sorted by paper name and containing those papers published within 24 miles [38.6 km]<4> of Leonard.

Websites to Help With Your Genealogy Research ...

When we do our genealogical research, we first turn to the websites from Cyndi's List, FamilySearch and Genealogy Trails. These websites offer the information directly or else point to where you can find it. Their information is open to everyone.

To help you get started, the following links will take you to the pages that are relevant to Leonard:

Footnotes ...

<1>While we're fans and frequent users of TripAdvisor, you should know that we're also members of the TripAdvisor affiliate program.
<2>The Find-a-Grave website is an excellent research tool with information about a cemetery's location and interments. They also offer a forum for their members which can provide additional help. More information about Find-a-Grave can be found on their website: findagrave.com.
<3>We use the term 'Historic' broadly and it generally means that the community no longer exists. However, it can also mean that the community might still exist, but was significantly larger or had a more 'official' existence in the past than it does now. Unfortunately our sources of data have proven to be unreliable. If you can provide us with more specific information about Leonard, please let us know so that we can improve our accuracy.
<4>Our distances are not driving distances, but are calculated as a 'straight-line' (or point-to-point) distance. A straight line distance ignores obstructions like rivers, canyons, lakes, et cetera - it's truly a line drawn from Point A (ie- Leonard) to Point B. In other words: 'As the crow flies'.